Winding mechanism



Mar. 6, 1923.

H. L. PITMAN WINDING MECHANISM 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Jan. 2

mi m Ma 6, 1923. 1,447,516 v H. L. PITMAN WINDING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 21919 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Mar. 6, 1923.

UNITED STATES HENRY L. PITMAN, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY.

WINDING MECHANISM. I

Appfication filed January 2, 1919. Serial no. 269,311.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY L. PrrMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing in Elizabeth, in the county of Union and State of. New Jersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Winding Mechanism,of which the following is a specification. i

This invention relates to spring motors for driving the turn tableswhich carry the records in phonographs, and embodies improvements uponmy pending applications 19:9,855 and 193,138. I 1

Owing to the great length of the multiplehelix spring disclosed in saidapplications, its tension increases very gradually as it winds, andhence fails to give adequate warning that it has been sufficientlyrewound, and therefore there is liability of the spring becomingoverwound and perhaps injured.

One of the objects of the invention is to pre vent overwinding of aspring whose winding and unwindingmotions progress in the same directionas is customary in phonographs. To attain this object there is provideda device which is efiective at any stage of unwinding, and which ispreferably dependent upon the condition of the spring itself, for'preventing overwinding. That is, the spring is {self-locking, orprovided with a lock which may be brought automatically into play forchecking overwinding. In the preferred form of this feature, the innerhelix of the spring, during the rewindi'ng operation, contracts upon acore which is normally idle,

but which, when gripped by the said helix.

is caused to turn therewith, and bring into use a stop by swinglng thesame into engagement with a ratchet wheel connected to the windingdevices. tocheck the same.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings. 1

Figure 1 is a part-sectional side elevation of the floor of aphonograph, with a spring motor secured to the under side thereof, andembodying the present improvements in one form. I

, Figure 2 is a bottom plan of the motor and appurtenances.

Figure 3 is an enlarged diagrammatic view illustrating thereleasedposition of the overwind-check device; and also-showing in dotted linesthe released position of the backcheck for the motor spring.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3.,

Figure 5 is a sectional longitudinal View of the winding shaft and itsappurtenances; said shaft shown detached from the stubshaft or windinghead to which it is to be coupled and bywhich it is to be driven.

Figure 6 is a friction washer which cooperates with the locking pinionseen at Figure 7 Figure '7 is an enlarged view to illustrate thetensioned motor spring as under control of the lock which prevents itfrom unwindmg. 7 Figure 8 is a view of the ratchet wheel which isattached to the winding shaft to be used in locking the same againstoverwi'nding, i I I Figure 9 is a detail view ofone end of thespring-winding shaft upon which is to be fitted the overwind-checkratchet wheel seen at Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a sectional elevation to illustrate the frictionalconnection between the brake arm and the regulating arm, to permitrelative adjustment therebetween. while enabling the regulating arm tocontrol the operation of the brake arm;

Figure 11 is a perspective view of one end of the winding shaft.opposite from the end seen at Figure 9.

'- As usual in the phonograph, therecordis carried upon a turn tablewhich is mounted upon a central vertical shaft 20, extending up throughan opening 21 in a bed or plate 22, and supported at its upper end ina'bearing 23 and at its lower end in a step or bearmotor barrel 25,which turns about a'horiz ontal shaft 26, and has at one end a gear27 todrive a pinion 28, which is mounted upon 7 ing 24:. This shaft 20isrevolvedby a springv one endof a horizontal shaft 29,- the latter.iiinite'dby'a stop arm 45 also pivoted loosely upon the stub carrying aspiral gear to drive a spiral pinion 31 on said turn-table shatt 20. yTo wind the spring a cranlg 32 lsscrewed upon a threaded end orcrankshaft 33, which projects from the framework and carr es a drivingpinion 34 to mesh with a winding gear 35, which is preferably pinne dat37 to a stub shaft 38, which is connected to detachablehshaift 26 by atongue and a groove coupling 39, 40. j H At Figure 7, the driving pinion34 andthe winding gear 35 are shown in mesh w th'an idle pinion 41',- sothat all three gears lnthe train are locked;'hcnce, the shaft 26 cannotbe rotated reversely by the spring. The ten sion of the spring is in adirection opposite i from that indicated by the arrow at Figure 7.Towijnd the spring, the crank '32 is turned in the directionshown by thearrows at Figures 1 and 7:. This turns thev driving pinion 34 andthereby revolves the winding gear. 35*,j as shown by the arrows. Asfgear ;35., starts-, it carries the locking pinion 4 1 bodily away.tronrthe position at Figure 7. to the position at Figure 1, where itcannot interferefwith the rotation of the driving pinion .34. Thelocking pinion 41 remains in this released position; revolving idly,during the ensuing winding of the spring motor by the crank 32. For thisreleasing movenient, the'p'inion 41 ispivoted upon an idle arm 42, whichis pi'votedlo'osely on the stub shaft 38. A friction washer 43 alwaysopposes .the iiidep'enr'lentj rotation of the locking pinion '41 saidwasher for this purpose being interposed between said pinion 41 and irema n permanently in the machine while thearm42gFigure 5. The pinion 41is pivoted upon a shoulder screw 44 threaded into said arm. It will beperceived that the initial winding 'movement of the gearc35 "carriesjzhepinion. 41 and arm 42 from tl1eFigure 7 position to the Figure 1position, inasmuch as itis easier for the ar'mjand pinion to swing'afway:t'r'o'in the pinion 34 than it is for the pinion '41 to turn uponits own axis 44, owing to the presence oit'friction Washer 43.Theteethotthe .pinions 34 and41 iiiay "be 'beveled to "give su'fhcientclearance during this unlocking operation. The releasing movementOfpllllOIl 41 and arm 42 may be shaft 38 and having a finger 46 to catchover the pinion arm 42, said arm 45being-arrestedby striking the hub ofthe 55 operation, "the locking piniop 41 revolves crank, as atFF i'gureDuring the winding idly and noiselessly. As soon as 'crank-32is"released; the motor "spring reacts upon the winding gear 35'jdrivingthe same in the oppolsite direction tt'ronilt'hearrow seen in Figpre 1,and thereby swinging the locking pinion '4'1 again into mesh withthefwinding ipinion 34;:as a't 'Figure'fl'sothat the train becomesrelocked," and .it'urth er unwinding of the spring is prevented.

helix '48, through which the winding shaft 26 extends. The outer helixis hooked over a headed supporting stud 49 projecting 1nwardly fromthedriving gear 27; the lastwheat-r this helijc b'eing also confinedwithin a supporting hook 50,.which also projects inwardly from. the gear27.. It isiiotedr at this point that this gear 2"! may form the head ofcasing or barrel 25, .ivhich is iii the form of a long cylinder securedat one end by screws 52 to said head, and at the opposite end having ahead 53,.which is loosely centered upon the main or winding shaft 26, orupon a core (or. sleeve) 54. which is loose upon said shaft. The endofthe innermost helix 48 is hooked under the head off a screw 55,threaded into a collar 56 upon the shaft 26. When said collar and shaft;are rotated by the crank 32; as already eiiplained. saidinner helix 48wound up, the winding motion being coinniunicated to the outer helices.This collar'56 has a. reduced inner end 57 upon which it the endwhorlsof the helix 48: the opposite end of the helix surrounding theloose core 54 and supportable h by- H The end of the shaft 26 is'reducedat 58 to receive collar 56. 57} which abuts against the. shoulder at theend of the reduced porthe shaft-'26 with the spring 47 is beingasse'mbled or w1thdrawn. The tongue or flattened port on 39 of thereduced section 58 of the shaft fits in the transverse groove of a head61 on stub shaft The disk 62.v'liich.:ma y be formed or fixedupbn thecollar 56; may serve to. take theend; thrust of certain 'of the helices,so that therewill not be friction-between said helices and. theinner-face of the gear ,27. Wl'llChrlS loosely pivoted upon hub'63torfned jnpon the collar "56. -The transverse groove 40 extends entirelyacross the large head .61, and-receives the divisions of a tongue 64which is formed. upon the euter end oi the collar 56, so that saidcollar. is directly driven by the stub shaft 38, together. with saidin-ner helix 48. i i .u a

The right-hand end of the. windingshatt .26. at Figure 5,,is detachablymounted,there being provided for this purpose a removable stud '65;secured by a set screw 66 -in the 'irameworl: 67, and h-aving on itsinner end a nipple 68,,wl'1ich serves as abearingfor s'aid shaft 26,this shaft having its end a bore 69 to fit uponsaidnip ple; By looseningthe screw 66 and withdrawingrthe stud 65, the shaft 26, together withthe springbarrel 25. may be moved endwise and tilted up and detachedfrom the head '61 of the stud shaft 38, whereupon the barrel 25 may bewithdraw The loose core or sleeve 54 is also used in preventingoverwinding of the spring motor. This core remains stationary upon therevolving shaft 26 during the winding of the spring; the core being heldagainst rotation by an arm 70 having a spring 71; said spring and armbeing pivoted upon a stud 72. .secured by a set screw 73; and said armand spring may be confined upon the inner projecting end of the stud bymeans of washer 74 and screw 75. One end of the spring may bear againsta stud 76, and the other end against a portion which is rigid with arm70. The power of the spring 71 is sufficient to hold the arm 70 againstthe tendency of the sleeve 54 to revolve with the shaft 26 during thewinding operation; but, when the winding proceeds to suchan extent thatthe whorls of the innermost helix 48 contract so much as to grip thesleeve 54. as shown at Figure 4 and in dotted lines at Figure 5, thesleeve iscaused to rotate by. the friction ofthe whorls thereon; thisbeing the end of the helix 48 which is oppositefrom the hooked end atand which is free to tighten upon the core or sleeve 54. The oppositeends of said helix are relatively revoluble to an extent to permit thiscontraction and gripping. The core 54, being thus automatically rotated,pushes the arm '70 to the left from the position at Figure 8 to theposition at Figure 4. to bring dog or stop 77 into" the path of one ofthe teeth of ratchet wheel 78. and" there by arrest-the shaft 26 and?stop the winding. It is noted that said ratchet or stop wheel 78 mayhave an oblong central opening 79 to fit upon a key portion 80 formedupon the right-hand end of the winding shaft 2-6. so. that the ratchetwheel and shaft must revolve together, and danger of injury is avoided.Hence the spring is self-locking against overwinding. The arrest of thewinding depends upon the condition ofthe spring 17 itself. In otherwords,when the spring has been tensioned to an extent to cause theinnermost whorls thereof to bind upon the sleeve 54: the stop ,77 isautomatically thrown into position to arrest the winding. This mayhappen. at any stage in the rotation of the spring barrel 25. Thediameter of the core 54 is such as. to be gripped by the helix whorlsbefore the contraction in diameter of the several helices has proceededfar enough to enableany helix to contact with the next inner helix. Inother words; a clearanceis always left between the several helices, toprevento-vertensioning of the spring, and to preventthe whorls ofv thehelices from. no sily scraping over one another, or sllp-plng between.one

another, and to permit free flow of lubricant between adjacent whorls.The arm may work in a peripheral slot 81 formed in the core 54; near itsend, and thereby prevent longitudinal displacement of the core; whileone end of the slot forms a shoulder to engage the arm 70 for throwingin the stop, as already explained.

As soon as the Winding is arrested. the operator releases the crank 32,and the motor spring react-s as hereinbefore explained, the windingshaft 26 turning backwardly until the locking pinion 4:1 remeshes withthe driving pinion 34, as at Figure 7 and, during this backward rotationof shaft 9-6, the sleeve 5% may turn therewith by reason of theengagement of the spring-pressed arm 70 with the shoulder on the sleeve,as well as by the grip of the whorls 48 upon the sleeve. The spring 71will, therefore, swing the stop 77 out of the path of the ratchet 78 asat Figure 3, so as to release the ratchetwheel and shaft for asubsequent winding operation; a finger 81 on the stop engaging a pin 81to arrest the releasing movement of the stop.

The device for governing the speed of rotation of the usual turn tableon shaft 20 may comprise a gear 83 on said shaft, to mesh with a pinion84:, to which is fixed a spiral gear 85, which meshes with a worm 86,the latter carried upon a shaft 87, which is thus caused to revolve athigh speed, thereby separatingcentrifugal weightsSS which arecarriedupon flexible arms 89. whereby the arms are shortened. therebypulling a brake disk 90 against a brake arm 91. and so controlling thespeed of rotation of the disk 90 and hence of the turn table. In orderto set the brake arm 91 to regulate the speed as required, there may beused a con troller comprising a button 92 fixed upon the upper end of avertcial shaft 93, which has a bearing in a boss 94 secured to the baseplate 22; said shaft carrying at its lower end an arm 95. having a pin96 to engage a slot. 97 in a long regulating arm 98. so that rotation ofthe button will vibrate said regulating arm 98. The latter has aconnection with the brake arm 91, and ac cordingly controls or sets thelatter. The controllermay be provided with an index 99 to co-operatewith. scale 100, to determine the speed of operation; and a stop 101 maybe used withsaid index and button, so that in starting the motor byturning the button. the index may be arrested by said stop and therebythe brake arm 91 may be mecha-ni cally set to a point which will givethe de sired speed of the turn table.

The frictional connection between the regulating arm 98 and the brakearm 91 will now be explained, the parts being shown, separated at Figure13 and assembled at Figure 10. Said regulating arm 98 has fixed theretoa hub section or portion 102 in the form of a, plate pivoted to fit upona post or-stud in the form of a shoulder 103 formed on. ascrew 104, Thetwo parts 102, 98 are connected by a, screw 105, which holds the part 98down in a fitted seat formed by sides 106 stuck up from the plate 102;so that the parts 98 and 102 are detachably fixed together. The brakearm 91 is pivoted upon the same stud 103; and a compression spring 107surrounds the stud and presses the arm plate 102 against the hub of thebrake arm 91 with great force, so they are boundtogether andordinarilymove together. A friction plate or washer 108 is inserted between thehead 109 of the stud and the brake arm 91, and doubles the effect of thefrictional connection between the lever 98 and the brake arm 91, sincethis friction plate has a tongue 110' extending to and fitting betweenthe sides 106 of the lever plate 102, so that the Washer must turn withsaid regulating arm 98, while it may move up ordown independently of 98.Thus relativemotionbetween the brake arm 91 and said regulating arm 98is opposed by a friction upon both thetop and bottom surfaces of arm91'. The resistance here is too strong to be overcome by the pressure ofthe brake disk 90 against the brake arm 91.

The movement of brake arm 91 in one direction, that is, to the rightatFigure 2, is limited by its engagement with the frictiongoverning disk90; and its motion in the opposite direction, or towards the left atFigure 2, is governed by an end of. a screw 111 striking a fixed stop112, said screw forming an adiustable stop to regulate the extent ofthrow of the brake arm 91. Thus the regulating arm 98 may haveconsiderable vibration upon its pivot 103 while maintaining a fixedrelation to thebrake arm 91; and this vibration is sufficient toaccommodate the purpose. of the motor-starting and speed-regulatingbutton 92. But in adapting the apparatus to different types ofphonographs,the lever 98 may be swung independently, as indicated indotted lines in Figure 2, to accommodate different positions in whichthe controller (92) may be located in the machine during the process ofmanufacture; this relative shifting being per mitted by the frictionalconnection between the parts 98 and 91. Wherever said arm 98 maybe thusswung, it'will thereafter perform the function of controlling the arm 91already explained. Thus the arm 98 adapts the motor mechanism todifierent types of phonographs, and is inexpensive to make, and readilydetachable and adjustable to ac commodate the controller, as it does notneed to be bent or distorted in order to accommodate the mechanism todifferent phone-graphs. I I

Variations maybe resorted to within the scope of the invention, andportions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having. thus described. my invention, I claim:

1. The combination of a spring. comprising a coil, means to wind saidspring, a device within said coil and normally stationary while the coilturns, but gripped and turned by the coil as. the latter decreases indiameter when tensioned, and a stop brought into play by said devicewhen turned by said coil, for arresting the winding of the spring.

2. The combination of a spring comprising a helix, winding meansconnected to one end of said helix, a core within said helix andnormally stationary while the helix turns, but gripped and turned by thehelix at. the other end thereof as the spring contractsunder tension,anda stop brought into play by said core for arresting the winding of. the,spring.

In a spring motor, the combination of a-spring comprising a he1ix,arevoluble core within the helix, means to wind the spring, means to holdsaid core stationary during the winding of the spring, said coreengageable and rotatable by the'helix'as the latter contracts uponwinding thereof," and a stop brought into play by said corefor arrestingthe winding. J I

4:. In a spring motor, the combination of a spring comprising a helix, arevolub-le core within the helix, means to wind the spring, means tohold said core stationary during the winding of the spring, said coreengageable and rotatable by the helix as the latter contracts uponwinding thereof, a stop brought into play by said core for arresting thewinding, and a spring to restore said stop device tonorma-l released p0sition. g

5. In a spring motor, the combination of aspring comprising a helix, arevoluble core within the helix, means to windthe spring, means to holdsaid core, stationary during the winding of the spring, said coreengageable and rotatable by the helix as the latter contracts uponwinding thereof, said winding means including a winding shaft concentricwith said core and having a ratchet wheel, and a stop normally releasedbut movable said core into engagement with said ratchet wheel to stopthe winding.

' 6. In a spring-motor, the combination of a spring comprising a helix,arevoluble core within the helix, means to wind the spring,

vmeans to hold said core stationary during the winding of the spring,said core engageable and rotatable by the helix as the latter contractsupon winding thereof, said wind- .ing means including a winding shaftconcentric, with said core and having a ratchet wheel, a stop normallyreleased but movable by said core into engagement with Said ratchetwheel to stop the winding, 'and a spring to return said stop to normalreleased position, together with said core.

7. In a spring motor, the combination of a spring comprising a helix, arevoluble core within the helix, a winding shaft within said helix, aratchet wheel mounted upon said shaft, said core being in the form of aloose sleeve upon said shaft and having a periph eral slot, and apivoted stop, said stop having an operating arm within said slot, to beengaged by 'thecore as the latter is turned by the contracting helix, tomove said stop into enga ement with said ratchet wheel.

8. Tn a spring motor, the combination of a spring comprising inner andouter helices, a revoluble core within the inner helix, mea'nsto windthe spring, means to hold said core stationary during the winding of thespring, said core engageable and rotatable by the inner helix as thelatter contracts upon winding thereof, and a stop brought into play bysaid core for arresting the winding.

9. The combination of a multiple helix single wire continuous spring, awinding shaft for said spring, said shaft extending centrally throughthe spring, a stop normally released, said shaft carrying thereon a stopmember, and spring operated means brought automatically into play at theconclusion of the Winding operation,'for effecting engagement betweensaid stop member and said normally released stop, to preventoverwinding.

10. The combination of a multiple helix single wire continuous spring, awinding shaft for said spring, said shaft extending centrally throughthe spring, a stop normally released, said shaft carrying thereon a stopmember, and means dependent upon the tensioned condition of the spring,for effecting engagement between said stop member and said released stopto prevent overwinding.

11. The combination with a revoluble spring barrel, of a single wirecontinuous motor spring comprising helical coils nested one withinanother within said barrel, one end of said spring connected to saidbarrel to drive the same, a central shaft upon which said barrel isloosely mounted, the other end of said spring being connected to saidcentral shaft to enable the shaft to wind the spring, a stop mechanismnormally ineflective to control said shaft, and means dependent upon thetensioned condition of the spring for bringing said stop mechanism intoplay to stop said shaft, to prevent overwinding.

12. The combination with a revoluble spring barrel, of a motor springcomprising helical coils nested one within another within said barrel,one end of said spring connected to said barrel to drive the same, acentral shaft upon which said barrel is loosely mounted, the other endof said spring being connected to said central shaft to enable the shaftto wind the spring, a stop mechanism normally ineffective to controlsaid shaft, and means operating between said shaft and a contractingportion of said spring, for automatically arresting the wind ingoperation of said shaft.

13. The combination of a single wire con tinuous multiple-helix springcomprising a nested series of connected helices separated one fromanother to give clearance, winding means for said spring, and meansautomatically efiective during the tensionjng of the spring and beforeany helix contracts sufficiently to impinge upon the next inner helix,for checking the winding operation,

14. In a spring motor, the combination of a spring comprising inner andouter helices, a revoluble core within the inner helix, means to windthe spring, means to hold said core stationary during the winding of thespring, said core engageable and rotatable by the inner helix as thelatter contacts upon winding thereof, and a stop brought into play bysaid core for arresting the winding before the outer helix can contractsufficiently to grip the inner helix.

15. The combination with a revoluble spring barrel, of a single wirecontinuous motor spring comprising helical coils nested one withinanother within said barrel, one end of said spring connected to saidbarrel to drive the same, a central shaft upon which said barrel isloosely mounted, the other end of said spring being connected to saidcentral shaft to enable the shaft to wind the spring, a stop mechanismnormally ineffective to control said shaft, and means dependent upon thetensioned condition of the spring for bringing said stop mechanism intoplay to stop said shaft before the coils contract sufiiciently to gripone another.

HENRY L. PITMAN.

